The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government, threatening a nationwide strike if its long-standing demands are not met within 21 days.
Zonal Coordinator of ASUP, Innocent Simji, told reporters that the decision followed years of government neglect on critical issues affecting polytechnic education. According to him, the demands include the settlement of unpaid salary arrears, release of withheld allowances, completion of stalled agreement renegotiations, improved infrastructure funding, and an end to the continued discrimination against Higher National Diploma (HND) holders in the workplace.
Simji stressed that polytechnic lecturers have exercised patience for too long, but the government’s failure to honor previous agreements has left them with no choice but to resort to industrial action. “We have given the government 21 days to address these issues. If they fail to act, our members across all public polytechnics and monotechnics will withdraw their services,” he warned.
The union also accused the government of deliberately undermining the polytechnic sector despite its crucial role in providing technical manpower for national development. ASUP insisted that neglecting the sector not only affects staff welfare but also jeopardizes the future of millions of Nigerian students who depend on polytechnics for quality technical education.
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